Hoorah! Showy Ovarians, grab your bonnets and pop the kettle on because today, December 16th 2025, we’re throwing a literary birthday bash! Jane Austen turns a whopping 250 and what better excuse for a Showy Bonnets Special?
And who better to to spill the tea on all things Austen than NZ's other Janeite of notoriety, the head of the Jane Austen Society of Australia for 30 years; Kiwi Susannah Fullerton.
Susannah is a global Jane Austen powerhouse. A writer, academic, tour guide, speaker and all round literary super fan from the moment she could pick up a book. She has led JASA to being the largest literary association in Australia and is also variously patron, founder and member of numerous other societies from Dickens to Georgette Heyer.
Penny beamed into her Paddington pad to chat about Susannah's body's favoured position, her skill at hitting a ball, the alarming notion of giving birth 18 times and Great Writers and the Cats Who Owned Them.
But mostly she and Penny both wax lyrical on the proto-feminist, supremely witty, joyous literary superstar that has changed both of their lives, our dear lady Jane Austen. If only Jane could see how her star shows no sign of dimming, even if her life was tragically cut short.
Apologies for some of the high feedback along this podcast.
CONTENT WARNING: A touch more swearing than in Pride and Prejudice....
ALSO sending love to Sydney and all it endured in its horrific attack at Bondi Beach only 2 days ago.
